Cup and saucer



V R HOOD, JR

CUP AND SAUCER Filed June 27, 1955 act. 9, 1956 INVENTOR.

V R Head; J1:

Patent OE ice.

2,765,640 Patented Get. 9, 1956 CUP AND SAUCER V R Hood, Jr., San Antonio, Tex. Application June 27, 1955, Serial No. 518,066

2 Claims. (Cl. 65-45) This invention generally relates to cups and saucers and more specifically provides a novel saucer which may be employed in supporting a cup, glass or other drinking vessel wherein the drinking vessel will be supported out of contact with liquid which may be in the saucer. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel cup and saucer construction which will allow drainage of liquid from the undersurface of the base of the cup so that the base of the cup will remain relatively dry even if a certain amount of liquid is spilled into the saucer thereby eliminating the usual dripping of such liquid onto a persons clothes or surrounding area when liquid is drained from the cup.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a cup and saucer which are of complementary construction for providing a snug interengaging positioning means wherein the cup will not be easily tipped over and will be properly positioned on the saucer at all times.

Yet another important feature of the present invention is to provide a cup and saucer construction including an interrupted frusto-conical projection on the saucer and a fntsto-conical depression on the cup together with inclined drainage areas on the saucer so that liquid on the bottom of the cup will be drained to the saucer out of contact with the cup thereby retaining the bottom of the cup in a relatively dry condition.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel cup and saucer construction which is simple in construction, easy to clean, well adapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter de scribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the cup and saucer construction of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional View taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of Figure 1 illustrating the cup and saucer construction;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating further details of the saucer construction; and

Figure 4 is a plan view taken substantially upon the plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 with the cup removed illustrating the details of construction of the cup positioning and supporting means.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the cup and saucer of the present invention with the numeral 12 generally designating the saucer and the numeral 14 generally designating the cup.

The saucer 12 includes a central portion 16, an upwardly concave portion 18 having a rim 20 wherein the saucer 12 rests upon a depending base 22.

The central portion 16 is formed with a plurality of arcuate upstanding rib sections 24 which define a continuous upstanding rib with spaces 26 between adjacent sections of the rib 24. The outer surface of the ribs 24 form a frusto-conical surface.

Extending inwardly from the center of each of the sections of the rib 24 is a ridge 28 which is formed by two upwardly and inwardly inclined surfaces 30 which intersect at the ridges 28. The ridges 28 intersect at the center of the central portion 16 and the inclined surfaces 30 intersect with each other to form an inclined valley 32 which is in communication with the spaces 26 between adjacent sections 24 on the upstanding rib thereby draining any liquid downwardly and outwardly into the concave area 18 of the saucer 12.

The cup 14 includes a generally cylindrical enlarged receptacle portion 34 with the depending lower edge 36 having a frusto-conical depression 38 for snug fitting engagement over the upstanding rib sections 24. When the cup 14 is disposed on the saucer 12, the bottom of the cup 14 is spaced slightly above the bottom of the passages 26 thereby permitting drainage of any spilled liquid from the cup 14 downwardly from the ridges 28 and inclined surfaces or areas 30 and outwardly through the openings or spaces 26.

This construction may be utilized with cups or any other drinking receptacles and will assure that no liquid will collect on the bottom of the cup 14 thereby eliminating the usual dripping of this liquid when the liquid in the cup is lifted for drinking purposes. While the device is especially designed for use in coii'ee cups and saucers of any desirable shape, it may be employed in conjunction with any type of drinking glass or receptacle and it is to be noted that a specific cup or receptacle is necessary in conjunction with the specific saucer or base thereby forming a new cooperating cup and saucer.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A saucer comprising a central portion having an interrupted sectional upstanding annular rib, an integral upwardly concave rim, and an integral depending base, a plurality of ridges extending inwardly from the midpoint of each of the sections of said rib, said ridges meet ing at the center of said central portion, each of said ridges being defined by a pair of downwardly inclined walls, said walls meeting and forming an inclined radial valley in communication with the space adjacent sections of said rib for permitting drainage of liquid from the bottom of a receptacle supported on said rib and ridges.

2. In a cup and saucer, a saucer having a generally concave upper surface, an interrupted upstanding annular rib on the upper surface of the saucer, said rib comprising a plurality of arcuate sections terminating in a planar upper edge, said sections having an inclined outer surface for defining a frusto-cone, a cup having a depression in the undersurface thereof, said depression being defined by an inclined peripheral surface defining a frusto-cone for telescoping over the upstanding rib, an inwardly extending radial ridge at the center of each rib section, said ridges meeting centrally of the upstanding rib, a pair of inclined walls extending downwardly from each ridge, said walls meeting and forming inclined valleys with each valley being disposed for drain-ing liquid outwardly of the upstanding rib.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 16, 1896 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1899 Great Britain Sept. 24, 1923 Great Britain June 26, 1924 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1929 

